"Maghreb"- The beginning of a new day...

In the Middle East, the days begin and end with the setting of the sun. In Arabic, it's called "Maghreb"- which is also translated as "West". I love the thought of letting all the worries and struggles of the day being put to rest, just as the sun disappears behind the horizon. It brings a sense of peacefulness to my heart and soul. What's done is done. Tomorrow is a new day.

Psalm (Zaboor) 113:3

"From the rising of the sun to its setting

The name of the Lord is to be praised."

The Football factory capital of the world

Fun fact: 70% of the world's footballs (or "Soccer" balls- for Americans) are made in Pakistan! The city of Sialkot, in the Punjab of Pakistan, has over 1,000 football factories, employing over 60,000 people!

I will always remember my first Eid ul Adha (also known as the "sacrificial Eid") in Pakistan. Any family who could afford to sacrifice a goat, bull, or camel would do so. Neighbors often came together to perform the sacrifices together. The animals were sacrificed, the blood drained, and then skinned and cut up into many portions. The animal skins were cleaned and hung to dry. At the end of the day, young men from the local madrassas (religious schools) would come through the neighborhoods with big trucks and collect the donated skins. Those skins would then, in turn, be sold and the vast majority of them would be used for making footballs!

Next time you play football, or "soccer", take a peak at where it was made. There's a good chance it was made in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Purification is half the faith

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is 97% Muslim. Five times a day you will hear the call to prayer echo throughout the city streets, calling all followers of Islam to come and pray to Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

Before praying, it is obligatory to perform ablutions, known as "wudu" (arabic) or "wuzu" (as pronounced in Central Eurasia). Purity and cleanliness have great significance in Islam. Wudu is believed to be both physical and spiritual preparation before prayer, and provides 'purification' before communicating with God. Prayer cannot commence without it. In Islam,

"purification is half the faith."

Psalm (Zaboor) 51:7 says

"Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."

The Holy Bible says in Romans 12:1

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship."

May we all take the time, daily, to purify our hearts and souls before the Living God, to present ourselves holy and acceptable to Him.